Anal Retentive State Trooper

Most have you have probably read of my travel woes in the posts below. I am not through with them yet, but I did hear from the rental car company that I don't have to drive up tonight to return the car, so that is good.

I forgot to tell you all a rather weird story that happened to me on the way up to Denver before this whole debacle got started.

It was a beautiful day last Thursday with the sun shining brightly across the big sky of northern New Mexico. We have received a ton of snow this year that has not melted so the contrasting colors of the white snow and the dark trees along the mountains was extremely beautiful to behold. I think I was listening to a seminary lecture or something as I was driving when I noticed a state trooper up ahead driving very slowly. I knew that I was not driving too fast, probably around 82mph in a 75mph speed limit on the interstate. I changed lanes to pass him on the left and then when I got around him I turned on my blinker and simply changed lanes to get back on the right side. He then turned on his lights to pull me over. What?!! I wasn't even speeding!

He pulled me over, and I was pretty confused as to why. When he got to my window I immediately asked, "I wasn't going that fast was I?" He said, "No, your speed was fine, but when you changed lanes to pass me you failed to use your turning signal and then when you changed lanes in front of me after you passed you used your turn signal, but you want to be sure that you give about 3 or 4 blinks to make sure the person in front of you see you before you change lanes"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This guys wasted 10 minutes of my time for this? Crazy.

Things I wanted to say but didn't:

1. Clearly you are a rookie that is dying for something to do out here in the barren land of northern NM.

2. How old are you? You look younger than me. You need to grow up.

3. Usually when you are in the vast expanse of nothern NM and you see a car about every 10 mintues, using your turn signal is not that big of a deal.

4. My drivers ed. teacher was not even this anal!

He didn't give me a ticket, but he did give me his business car just in case I had any questions about driving, etc. Thanks buddy!

In thinking about this incident later that day I was struck by the fact that I think many of us (myself included) think of God as very similar to this state trooper. God is just waiting for the
slightest infraction on our part so that he can pull us over and give us a ticket or drag us off to jail.

Don't worry, if God was like that you'd have been squashed a long time ago.

Here is the good news:
2 Peter 3:9
"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you"

Ephesians 4:32
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you".

Psalm 86:5
"For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you".